Primary ignition circuit breaker.



I. G. KNAPP. V "PRIMARY iGNlTIONCI'RCUIT BREAKER.- 'APPUCATION FILIED xuLva. 19m.

, ,294,7. Patented FeblS, 1919.

i the manner in which JOSEPH G. KNAPP, 0F OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

PRIMARY IGNITION CIRCUIT BREAKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

Application filed July 8. 1916. Serial No. 108.168.

To-all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that .l. .losnrn irl. Kxxi-r. a citizen of the lnited States. residing at Omaha. in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Primary Ignition ireuit Breakers: and I do hereby declare the following to be. a full. clear, and exact description of the invention. such as will enable others skilled in the art, to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to circuit breakers. and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character which, when applied in the primary circuits of an engine ignition system. may be operated to either open or close the circuits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker designed to be applied in the primary circuits of anengine ignition system, between the induction coils and the commutator, whereby the said circuits may be opened or c'losed'at will.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker of the above-stated character embodying a lock, whereby the device may be locked in an open or closed position. v

With these and other it will appear as the description proceeds; the invention comprises the various novel features of the construction. combination and arrangement of the parts as will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the appended claim.v

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view objects in view, as

my improved circuit breaker is attached to the ordinary coil box. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the breaker box withthe cover removed, with parts of the casing end walls being broken away. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 33. of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showlng the arrangement of my improved circuit breaker in the primary circuits extending from the induction coils to the commutator.

In carrying out the object of the present invention, I desire to have it understood that this circuit breaker may be employed 1n connection with the primary wires of any engine ignition system, but for the sake of convenience and the purpose of illustration,

showing I will describe the device as bein used in connection with the primary circuits of an ordinary four-eyliiuler autnnobile ignition systenn Referring more particularly to the drawings. the reference letter A indicates the easi115, or, box in which my improved circuit breaker is inclosed. this box bi ing attached to the coil box B in any suitable manner. as will be clearly seen by reference to Fig. 1. This casimg A comprises; end walls 1 and 2. bottom and top walls and 4, respectively. and a rear wall 5. The end wall 1 is pro vided with a right angular flange 6 which extends laterally in spaced relation to the side edges of the upper and lower walls 3 and 4. A right angular flange 7 extends inwardly and laterally from the end wall 2 and is provided with slots 8. the purpose of which will presently appear.

A suit-able cover 9 having right angular flanges 10 is used to close the casing. the flanges 10 overlapping and bearingupon the upper and lower walls 3 and l of the casing, while the forward edge of th door being designed to engage both the flange 6 and the .-ide. edges of the upper and lower walls of the casing. The opposite, end of the cover 9 is provided with a reinforeilu. strip 11 that extends vertically and is provided with hooks 12 which are adapted to be passed through the openings 8 whereby they may be locked in order to hold the cover securely upon the casing.

The casing is further provided with openings 13 to permit of the entrance and exit of the primary wires into the casing. The rear wall 5 is provided with a plurality of openings 11- through which suitable fastening means are adapted to be passed in order to secure the casing upon the coil box B, or any other suitable support that may be found desirable. i

A pin tumblercylinder l5xhilvillg' a reduced threaded extension 16 is threadedly connected through the end wall 1 and securely held in position by a retaining nut 17 threadedly connected to the end 16 and bearing against the inner face of the wall 1. This tumbler cylinder 15 embodies a key barrel 18, which latter carries a cross head 19, the latter being connected to a rotatable shaft 20 that is formed 0.? any suitable insulating material. A rod 21 is connected to the cross head 18 and extends through the spring contact arms rotatable shaft and is journaled in the end wall 2 of the casing so as to permit of the shaft 20 being revolved. when the key barrel 18 is revolved. As clearly shown n Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a suitable key 22 is used to rotate the barrel l8. shaft 20 is mounted eccentrically on the rod 21 and is provided circumfcrentially with a plurality of grooves arranged in spaced relation to each other and which are de signed to receive and hold in spaced relation, spring contact arms 24. Each of these 2% is provided with a horizontal angular extension 25 which rests against and is, secured to a strip of insulating material 26 securely fastened to the under face of the upper wall 4.

Threaded. studs 27 extend downwardly from this insulating strip 26 through apertures in the angular extensions 25 of the arms 24, and are each provided with a re taining nut designed to securely hold and the short circuiting retain the arms 24' against the insulating strip 26. A thumb nut 29 is thl'eadcdly connected to each of the studs 27, whereby the terminal ends of the primary ,wires leading from the induction coils may be attached and securely held in place on the studs between the nuts "28 and the clamping nuts 2%).

Arranged on the inner upper face of the lower wall 3 and extending longitudinally of-the casing is an insulating strip 3t) on which is arranged a short circuiting bar 31,

this bar extending longitudinally of the easing and arranged below the rotataljile shaft 20 adjacent the lower ends of the spring arms 2-1. The opposite ends ol. the bar 31 are provided with ears 3'. win-relay the bar may be securely fastened upon the insulating strip 30 by any suitablc means. such as screws 33.

Arranged adjacent the bar 31 upon the insulating strip 30 are a plurality oif spaced upright contacts it, each of which is al' 'anged on a threaded stud 35 and is held in place by a Suitable clamping nut it). Clamping nuts 37 are threadedtr connected to the ends of the studs 23.) whereby the terminal ends of the primary wires may be connectedleading from the commutator which latter is grountlcd upon the engine.

In the operation oi? the dcYlcc. and when the key 22 has been inserted into tllc tu1n blcr cylinder. the key is rotated to the right, which in turn rotates the shalt 2 forcing the spr ng contact arms .Zl outwardly into contact with the stationary contacts ll. so as to complete the circuit through each and all ol the primary wires leading from the induction coils to the commutator. When the key is rotated to the left. the eccentric shaft '20 will be rotated to permit the spring contact arms 2t to move away trom thc sla tionary contacts 1H into cngagcnuuit with bar 251. From this it This bridge the neonate contact arms 'l-t, thence to the short c1rcu1ting bar 31- When the shaft 20 has been rotated to the right so as to move the contact arms 2% into engagement with the contacts 3%, the current will pass from the magneto 37 through the induction coils in. the respective liring order through the primary wires to the contact arms 2a, through the contacts 34, and the primary wires tl extending therefrom to the commutator i2, where the current is grounded, thus making a complete on gine circuit.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that. when the shaft 20 has been rotated to the left to short circuit the primary circuit wires, and the key removed it will be impossible for any one to bridge a- Wire or wires from the commutator l2 over the circuit breaker to the induction coils 3}) in order to start the engine.

In the event that some one should tamper with the ignition system and try and start the motor, and we will say for the purpose of illustration, by bridging a wire from No. l induction coil over the circuit breaker to the contact 1 of the commutator, it will be manifest. that current. will flow from the magneto 37 through the bus bar 38, induction coil 1, through the bridged Wire to the contact 1 of the commutator and then to the ground, to tire cylinder No. 1., it being under stood that the cylinders are arranged in oilcuit with and in tiring order with the induction coils. From this itwill be seen that at the same time cylinder No. 1 is firing, the tan-rent will pass through induction coil No. 2'. primary wire 40, contact arm 24, short cit-cutting bar 31, through contact arm 2-1, primary wire it) to induction coil 1, where the current will pass over the bridged wire to contact point l of the commutator and thencc to the gr0uml,,thus firing cylinder No. 2. Each of the remaining cylinders will consequently be tired in the same manner. 'lhercfore from tlurabore description, it. will be apparent. that any attempt to induction coils with the commutator by connecting them directly over the circuit breaker will result in the firing or the sparking ol? all of the spark plugs of the engine.cylindcrs at. the same time, thus pro during an ignition system which will positively be illfiptl'tll'lYt.

Wrangell against the inner of the end wall 2 is a plate 43 verticz'tlly movable between the end wall .2 and a bracket 4 1- which extends vertically over the plate 43 and is secured to the end wall 2. This plate '43 carries lugs 45 which are designed to lockingly engage Arranged below the plate 43 and secured to the end wall 2 1s a spring arm 46, the outer end of which exerts against the lug 47 on the plate 43. When this plate 43 is moved downwardly to disengage the lugs 45 from beneath the hooks 12, the spring arm 46 will return the plate 43 carrying the lugs 45 upwardly to its normal position.

Mounted on the end of the rod 21 and bearing against theend of the rotatable shaft 20 is an arm 48 which is held to rotate with the ,rod by a clamping nut 49. When the shaft 20 is rotated to the left, this arm 48 will come in contact with a lug 50 on the plate 43, and by a continued movement of the shaft 20 and the arm 48 to the left, the lug 50 will be forced downwardly sulficiently to move the lugs 45 from beneath the hooks 12, whereby the cover may be readily and quickly removed from The I which extends vertically upward from its bottom and is designed to receive the end of the casing.

' the rod 21.

A slot 52 extends vertically of the plate 43 and has arranged therein a block 53 bracket 44 by a screw 54.

an upward tension.

plate 43 is provided with a slot 51' Witnesses:

whichis secured to the lower eiid of the From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of, construction and the method of operation of the invention, to getherwith the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, and while I have described the principle of the operation of the device, I desire to have it understood that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the appended claim. 1

\Vhat I claim is x 11 an engine ignition system, the combination with the induction coils thereof, a commutator, primary wires connecting the induetion cuit breaker arranged in the primary wires between the induction coils and the commutator.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J OSEPH (:r. KNAPP.

O. A. NEALE, F. R. HOFFMAN.

coils with the commutator, and :1 (:i1'- 

